Just like Christmas, sometimes you get what you ask for. I inserted one little new sentence into the weekly ride description, hoping to make it even more abundantly clear as to what we do on a summer HOWC. The line “Riders should be capable of taking short pulls of between 23-25mph” seemed to make a selection even before the group assembled. I added this line because that’s how we ride, and on quite a few rides, it’s actually been 23-25++. Considering the HOWC is somewhat climbing focused and not a paceline type of ride, we cook along pretty good.

It’s never fun to turn someone around on a ride, but it’s also not good when the integrity of the ride is compromised. Dealing with riders who are in over their heads is even more awkward when you have a big group, and I figure the use of the new line would tend to reduce the group to a smaller sized number of very capable riders.

Looking at the bunch this morning, I knew right away we had more than a capable group. I knew them all from past HOWC rides, and what I had was a group of eight gunslingers. All were capable of the type of effort described in the ride listing, and I knew they wouldn’t be taking any prisoners. Shootout at the OK Corral, here we come.

Just as I thought, after a very mellow warmup, the ride went off at a really hard pace. There wasn’t much chatter early on. I felt pretty good at the start, but I seemed to fade early. Normally my strength seems to build as the ride goes on, but I knew early that I didn’t have “it”. If I were to survive, I’d need to play some defense.

For all of the simply brilliant summer weather we have had, today was the first day not one person started with armwarmers. At 8 AM, the air was humid, the wind was calm, and we all sensed it would be a cooker, in more ways than one. Speaking of the weather, Emil has jumped through the hoops to become a CBC Ride Leader, and he told me that he would like to lead the HOWC through the fall and winter. When I started the ride six years ago, I envisioned the HOWC as a year round group ride, and now that I have all the help I get from other people leading the ride we will get back to it.

Defense I did play, and along the way, I decided to configure the ride to include three very hard, yet optional climbs. One could go up and over, or circumvent each climb by going around it and meeting up with the group after the climb. As usual on Sunday, we had a friendly group, the ride turned conversational, and we had a great time. Not that I had a lot of opportunity to sit back and ponder it, but I did ask myself if I was the only rider today who was not in their 30’s (or 20’s?).

Towards the end of the ride, after the caffeine kicked in I felt relatively strong. It wasn’t that I had brewed up some magical power; I think the group just came back a little to me. Sitting out a few really hard climbs paid some dividends, and some of the early protagonists slowed the pace a hair. Even Luke seemed to poop out a little, and Luke is normally indefatigable and super strong throughout the whole ride. Jeff put in a solid showing, especially considering that he is still recovering from his first Ironman two weeks ago. Jordan never slowed down for a second, and I’m not sure anyone was disappointed when he left the ride a little early to shortcut to home. Not that Jordan isn’t a super guy, he is; but man, did he lay down some serious pacemaking.

And what about the Shootout at the OK Corral? It never materialized, and everyone worked as a cohesive group. We stopped at stop signs, and no matter who happened to be on the front, they rolled off easy until the “all on” call came from the back. Sure, there was plenty of the usual HOWC competitive fire, but we rode together, stayed together, and finished together.

5 comments:

While your post is entirely accurate, I was none to pleased to be dropped - multiple times. Finishing climbs minutes behind the lead group was none too super either. But it was a great workout with a super-strong, perfectly sized group. Nice to see the HOWC pack riding with such authority. Painful at some points, but overall a good time. I was OK that Jordan needed to split to the east side. I would have been OK if Warren needed to split with him!

Hey Tom It was a lot of fun riding with you guys the last 2 times I was out with ya! I had fun taking pulls with Boren(spl), Shane and Brady! All 3 are really strong on the flat and Boren was flying up those climbs with me! Can't wait to come back out and ride with you guys. Next time I will not be taking such hard pulls unless that's the consensus 8 )See you out there soon!

My recent cycling resume:
Cycling coach for Cycle University (Cycleu.com) Developed Chelan Coaching Camp
• Led Hills of the West Coast ride since 2003
• Written a fitness and cycling column for The Cascade Courier since 2005
• Ride around 10,000 miles a year and climb over 500,000’ per year
• Served on the Cascade Bicycle Club Board of Directors
• Solo-toured the West Coast/rode solo across British Columbia to Jasper, Banff, and back to WA/cycled length of the Cascade Mountains from the North Cascades to the CA border
• Started High Performance Cycling for Cascade Bicycle Club in 2006
• Developed the High Pass Challenge event in 2007. I even got to wear the #1 bib that year!
• In 2007, embarked on a Trans-Pyrenees cycling trip from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. In 2008, cycled in the Italian Alps/Dolomites/French Haute and Maritime Alps
• In 2008, founded Team High Performance Cycling Powered by Cycle U. Now in its ninth year, the team has over 100 members. I am the Team Co-Manager, as well as the Head Coach.